Making God Smile

Ephesians 5:10 – “and find out what pleases the Lord.”

Do you think you have made God smile? Have you ever wondered that if something you said or you did made God smile? I know as a single parent there are things that my children have done that make me smile.

Especially my son…he seems to have inherited my sense of humor.

You know what makes me, as a Dad smile?
1. When my son says “I love you Dad”, without it being in reply to my love for him.
2. When he reminds me to say the “blessing” over the food when I forget.
3. When he questions me about God or a scripture he has heard.

Yes, these are a few things that make me smile! The point is, we as parents have dreamed, trained, and disciplined our children. We have that hope that they would follow the right path; keeping a close relationship with us.

God wants and desires the same thing,

This is the way that God intended for us to relate with him, but like most children, we don’t always listen. We look for different ways to relate to God, just as children look for different ways to relate to their parents. God wants us to love Him and He also wants us to TRUST Him. And I mean with the kind of trust that it would take to build an ark in the middle of land because God told us to.

My son can be a know-it-all at times; it didn’t used to be this way. There was a time he hung to every word I said…he actually still does to a point. I can feel that time slipping away… The truth is we do that with God too! We act like we trust Him to guide and direct our every step; that is until the day comes when he sends us somewhere we are not comfortable with.

Can you imagine this conversation between Abraham and God?

God: “Abraham, this is God speaking. I want you to leave everything and go to the land I will show you.”
Abraham: “Where’s that?”
God: “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”
Abraham: “Try me.”
God: “its 1500 miles from here in a place called Canaan.”
Abraham: “Never heard of it.”
God: “I know, and guess what else? I’m going to make you the father of a great nation.”
Abraham: “That’s impossible. I don’t have any children.”
God: “Don’t worry.”
Abraham: “What do you mean, don’t worry?”
God: “Just trust me.”
Abraham: So God “Let me see if I’ve got this straight. You want me to leave everything, travel across the desert to someplace I’ve never heard of, and become the father of a great nation.”
God: “Right.”
Abraham “Is this some kind of joke? What am I supposed to tell my wife?”
God: “That’s your problem.”

Hebrews 11:8 it was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Abraham didn’t question God and just did it! Do you see how trust is connected with having the type of relationship with God that would make him smile? The questions for today are, “Do you make God smile?”

Do you have a loving and close relationship with His Son Jesus Christ?
Do you make God smile by Trust and obedience?
Do you acknowledge God and do you serve Him?

I don’t know about you but I don’t just want to make God smile.

I want to make God smile as far as the East is from the West!

Kapeesh?

Bow and Arrows

I saw a wonderful and inspiring situation yesterday. Let me set it up for you; it was Sunday morning; it was 7:30AM; and I was pulling into the parking lot waiting to start bringing volunteers to church. Walking through the parking lot was a man.

No, more than a man he was a DAD!

How did I know he was a Dad? He was pulling this neat little wagon that had 3 sections…like a train. In each section there was a little boy maybe 2 years old. Identical triplets; all boys; Blond Haired; Matching outfits; and to top it off, he had a poodle on a leash, leading the way.

As I said hello to him and offered God’s blessing to this beautiful situation, I asked myself this simple question: What is on this man’s heart? I guess I should have asked but I just didn’t want to break up this wonderful picture. I wish I had a camera with me.

Think about it, Sunday Morning… 7:30AM…Dad is out for a walk with the whole family with the exception of Mom. Mom is probably home, sleeping in. I’m sure this was his intention. Dad did this so Mom could sleep in late…..And it wasn’t even MOTHER’S DAY!

What a great Husband and Father!

I never found out about his faith but the next time I see him, and I’m sure God will make our paths cross again…I will most definitely ask. I’m almost positive this Dad is the Spiritual Archer of his home.

Why “Spiritual Archer?”

I read the following verse in Psalms and it inspiration hit me like a ton of bricks:

Psalm 127:4, “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth.”

Dads are warriors, and our children are like arrows. When dads shoot correctly, kids can hit the mark, but the arrows are no more effective than the archer. A dad who shoots straight; must be strong; the arrows must be straight and Dads are given the awesome responsibility from God to shape and straighten these young arrows the Lord gives to us.

Children aren’t naturally born straight arrows; they can be bent and shaped. If you were going to bend a tree in a certain direction, the time to do it is while the tree is just a young sapling, still soft and pliable.

Someday, if you’re not there already, you will send your arrows out. Every dad comes to that time when the arrows are released. Our intent while we have our children at home is to make them spiritually sharp and emotionally straight. Once they are out on their own, we keep praying for them and remain available to them as a counselor, when they seek that or need that.
But until they’re gone, we must remain on the job. Sometimes people like to talk about juvenile delinquency, but the real problem is parental delinquency, especially dropout dads.

As Dads, we must stand for Jesus and stand against the enemy, if you want your children to stand when you send them out against the enemy. You must take whatever steps are necessary so you can, be fully right with God, and so your children can succeed against the enemy.

Spirit-filled Christian families are Satan’s worst nightmare. Give direction and projection to these arrows, and with the winds of grace send them out into adulthood, and...

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Amen!